Obama's former pastor speaks in Milford

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Wright
, President-elect
Barack Obama
's former pastor, whose racially and politically charged remarks in sermons propelled him to notoriety in March, was invited to a forum on the Bible, race and American history by the Rev.
John C. Rankin
, an evangelical scholar and head of the Hartford-based Theological Education Institute.

A soft-spoken Wright, retired senior pastor of
Trinity United Church of Christ
in Chicago, told the diverse crowd his controversial remarks were taken out of context as media sound bites.

"They could care less what I preach," he said in response to a question. "Their intention was to use me as a weapon of mass destruction to destroy that man's candidacy. "� Perceptions of me are based on 10 seconds."

The spotlight fell Wright when ABC News reported a review of dozens of his sermons found repeated denunciations of the U.S. and lists of its injustices to blacks and other minorities.

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he reportedly said in a 2003 sermon.

"God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."

He also reportedly told his congregation on the Sunday after Sept. 11, 2001, the United States shouldn't be surprised by al Qaeda's attacks after U.S. support for "state terrorism" in Palestine and South Africa and its nuclear bombings of Japan during World War II.

"America's chickens are coming home to roost," he said on Sept. 16, 2001.

At first, Obama distanced himself from the comments but not the minister, who married the president-elect and his wife,
Michelle
, baptized their two daughters, and is credited for the title of Obama's book "The Audacity of Hope."

But in late April, after Wright made more controversial remarks in a series of media appearances, Obama called the statements of his minister of 20 years "divisive and destructive" and subsequently left the church.

Rankin said he told his wife as he surveyed the media storm, "I could have a conversation with this man. I don't think people are listening well."

He said it's important to listen to others, especially those with different life experiences and opinions, to speak truthfully to them as equals and seek to understand them.

One man at the forum, who said he was a retired criminal defense attorney, said he'd opposed Obama's candidacy largely due to Wright's remarks and his concern that the candidate shared his views.

He asked if Wright advocates repayment for past injustices.

Wright responded that he believes reparation is a biblical principle, but his views are "not an index in terms of what Sen. Obama believes or did believe. I have never in 20 years discussed reparations with Barack Obama. Do you agree with your pastor on everything?"

The forum, during which both men spoke and answered audience questions, was the first of a two-part discussion that will continue Dec. 5 in Hartford. It was not sponsored by the church, which has been criticized for playing host to it.

With the humorous moderating of author
Eric Metaxas
, the dialogue was respectful and scholarly, with references to biblical hermeneutics, research and theories.

The Bible, Wright said, has been used to justify slavery and the idea that certain humans are better than others.

"If you see God, for instance, as white and male, than that affects how you see others," he said. "Shared cultural values "� (become) the lens through which the Bible is read.

"We've come a long way and we have a long way to go, and I hope this conversation tonight is one of the many steps.
Tiger Woods
,
Michael Jordan
, Barack Obama -- their success should not lull us to sleep."

Rankin pointed out that the Bible is rooted from the beginning in the concept of human trust and freedom, rather than oppression -- God gives people freedom, for example, to say no to him and his ways -- and Christians should realize this as they deal with others.